The Weird Truth About Spirit Halloween 👻

James Bixby
Jul 20
2 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

Alright… you know that moment when it starts to feel like Fall? Leaves are changing, the air feels crisp, and suddenly, BOOM—a Spirit Halloween just appears in some random, empty store near you. Like, one day it’s an abandoned Toys“R”Us, next day it’s full of fake blood and fog machines. But have you ever wondered how that actually works? Like… where do they come from? Why are they everywhere? Let’s break it down:

1️⃣ “Spirit” Was Never Meant to Be Spooky 😅

Here’s the wild part—when Spirit Halloween started in 1983, the name “Spirit” had literally nothing to do with ghosts or Halloween.The founder, Joe Marver, actually ran a women’s clothing store called Spirit Women’s Discount Apparel (seriously). He noticed a nearby costume shop making bank in October, so he pivoted. Same store, new vibe. The name “Spirit” just accidentally fit. Pure coincidence. Fate, maybe? Who knows.

2️⃣ They Made Over $100,000… In The First 30 Days 💸

When Joe turned the store into a Halloween spot, it exploded. Spirit Halloween made over $100,000 in the first month.That’s when he realized:👉 Forget clothes. Costumes = money. He opened more stores, but only for August through October. Limited time, pop-up style. And guess what? That “limited time only” energy made people want to shop even more. Scarcity sells.

3️⃣ Spencer’s Gifts Bought Them 👀

In 1999, the company behind those weird lava lamps and adult party gifts—Spencer’s Gifts—bought Spirit Halloween. Kinda makes sense, right? Since then, it’s been non-stop growth. Today, there are 1,400+ Spirit Halloween pop-up stores across the U.S. and Canada. All temporary. All over the place. All crushing it every Fall.

4️⃣ Finding Empty Stores is Literally a Full-Time Job 📍

You’d think they just show up in any random abandoned store, right? Nope. They have a real estate team working all year long scouting empty storefronts.Their strategy? Take over vacant stores in shopping centers next to places like Best Buy, Walmart, or Target—so when you’re doing errands, you stumble right into spooky season.

5️⃣ The Death of Retail = Their Glow-Up 🏚️

Here’s the dark truth: every time a big retail chain dies, Spirit Halloween celebrates. As more malls and stores shut down, more empty spaces open up—perfect for Spirit Halloween’s 2-3 month takeover. They pay a short-term lease, get cheaper rates than long-term stores, and cash in during Halloween season… then vanish until next year.

So yeah, next time you see a Spirit Halloween randomly pop up near you… remember: They’re basically retail ghosts, popping up where failed businesses used to be, selling fog machines and fake blood for a quick cash grab.And honestly? We love them for it. 🎃